Reykjavík-based non-binary artist Glóey releases debut single that’s more than just a song—it’s a declaration of queer love, longing, and joy.
Before its official release today, on May the 9th, GayIceland had the chance to listen to “Away”, the debut single by artist Glóey (they/them)—and what we heard is a love song that doesn’t just tug at the heartstrings; it gently, reverently holds them.
Glóey has long been a presence on stage—whether as a bar singer, drag performer, or storyteller through song. Now, with their debut single “Away,” they step into the light as their truest self: a queer loverboy with a heart full of melodies and a voice shaped by experience, longing, and joy.
Written in a moment of raw emotion, “Away” was born in the car, just after Glóey dropped their partner off at the airport. That drive turned into an outpouring of feeling, a kind of sonic love letter.
“This was my attempt to get them back in my arms as soon as possible,” Glóey says. And so came the song—a poignant meditation on long-distance love, so common and yet so deeply personal within the queer community. “We truly do not let anything stop us when we find a connection that is deep and meaningful,” Glóey points out.
We truly do not let anything stop us when we find a connection that is deep and meaningful.
At once tender and unflinchingly honest, “Away” opens with a voice note—an actual message Glóey would send to their partner. This blend of spoken word and melody creates a sense of closeness, intimacy, and vulnerability. The production, handled by Bomarz, wraps the listener in a gentle, groovy embrace, with Glóey’s father, Eyjó Jóhannsson, contributing a soul-stirring guitar solo that sings with warmth and memory. “I asked him to go wild on a solo in the second part, which he absolutely smashed,” Glóey says with enthusiasm.
There’s something quietly radical about “Away”. It doesn’t scream; it leans in, whispers, and trusts the listener to hear the depth behind every word and note. The track unfolds like a tender voice message sent in the soft haze of missing someone—a soundscape built on longing, courage, and an unwavering belief in love.
From the very first seconds, a voice note—pulled straight from Glóey’s real-life exchanges with their long-distance partner—grounds the song in intimacy. What follows is not just a love song, but a confession, a plea, a warm embrace across borders. The lyrics are sincere and stripped of pretense: this is a queer heart speaking plainly, and that vulnerability is its strength.
Musically, “Away” is a gentle blend of indie pop with subtle country warmth. The production by Bomarz is clean and spacious, giving Glóey’s voice room to breathe. There’s a delicate balance of modernity and nostalgia here—emotional clarity wrapped in soft reverb and simple beauty. And then, there’s the guitar: played by Glóey’s beforementioned father, Eyjó Jóhannsson, whose solo in the second half becomes an unexpected highlight. It’s soulful, unpolished in the best way, and full of love—a generational bridge in song form.
I feel so lucky every day. I am literally surrounded by the best people in the world.
Glóey describes their sound as a fluid blend of indie, pop, and country, always tinted with a distinctly queer overtone. It’s music shaped by playlists, late-night feelings, sunlit kisses, and a community that continues to love fiercely in a world that doesn’t always make space for that.
“Queer joy is the ultimate act of resistance,” Glóey says. “It’s how we will change the world.”
But beyond the technicalities, “Away” resonates because it captures a truth that many queer people know well: that love, especially from a distance, can be an act of defiance, of hope, of healing. Glóey doesn’t just sing about yearning—they embody it. And in doing so, they offer a new kind of loverboy anthem: gentle, devoted, proudly queer.
In short, “Away” is more than just a song—it’s a declaration of queer love, longing, and joy. It captures the essence of being in love while apart, of whispering affection across time zones and hoping it lands softly. It’s also a celebration of chosen family and unwavering support. “I feel so lucky every day,” Glóey reflects. “I am literally surrounded by the best people in the world.”
Listen to “Away” below: